Why do we say 'kicked the bucket' when someone dies?
7 January 2020, 13:05
Politician Stephen Pound called James O'Brien to explain the morbid origins of the phrase 'kicked the bucket.'
Mystery Hour Question
Why do we say 'kicked the bucket'?
Trish, Carshalt.
Answer
Name: Stephen Pound.
Qualification: Knowledgeable former politician.
Answer: Mr Pound set the record straight about this old saying, explaining that it is a reference to the process of making black pudding. This used to involve hanging a dead pig by its trotters over a bucket, in order to collect blood. When the throat of the animal was cut, the spasm of its lower trotters would cause it to literally kick the bucket.
